PRODUCT EVALUATION BAGE ATV BASKET Carry more cargo

On Jul 20, 2012

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q When we test utility ATVs, we put a heavy emphasis on how they can transport cargo. How well you can carry small items and how easy you can tie things to the stock racks are important things to people like us, who use ATVs as tools on a daily basis. The front or rear rack can be a convenient place to carry various items, from hoses, to hammers, to water buckets, to watermelons. Over the years we have seen all kinds of contraptions clamped, bolted or strapped onto ATV racks, such as milk crates, apple buckets and ammunition boxes, just to hold more stuff.

This $60 extension really helped us with off-trail duties. It adds tie-down points and encases some cargo, even if you can’t tie it down. Check outwww.discountramps.com to see their complete line of ATV-related goodies.

One of the most convenient ways we have discovered lately to increase the cargo capacity of virtually any utility ATV is the Rage-brand basket from Discount Ramps. We have tested countless ATV/UTV loading ramps from Discount Ramps over the years and have considered their stuff some of the best. In the rack or basket line, they have a huge inventory of vehicle roof racks, 2-inch-receiver hitch-mounted cargo carriers, bike racks and lumber racks for pick-ups. If you look at their website at www.discount

ramps.com, you will actually find this basket sold as a bike rack cargo nest (part number ER-08211-Special). The $60 cargo nest is constructed of 3/4-inch and 1-inch steel tubing and has a black powder coating to keep it from rusting. The Rage bike rack comes with a one-year warranty.

To mount the nest to our Honda Foreman, we simple clamped it to the front rack with one of the supplied bike rack mounts and a pair of 50-cent U-bolts from the local hardware store. The nest weighs about 5 pounds, so it doesn’t dig into your cargo limits much. On the Honda, it bolted on solid and didn’t get in the way of the steering, the headlight or our field of view. Sure a box like this is not recommended for high-speed trail riding, but for daily chores, it has proven to come in very handy. We use it to take irrigation supplies to our track, chainsaws out to the trails, and to carry things like tow ropes and cleaning supplies when we are on photo shoots. Rarely do we ever have to tie anything down when using it. The 6-inch-tall sides corral the items in pretty securely. If you do need to strap something in, tie-down points are doubled versus the standard rack, and it’s nice to have corners and sides to lean heavier items against so they don’t slide around when moving.

The Rage rack was originally designed to be used in conjunction with a vehicle bicycle rack. We find it more useful in increasing cargo capabilities of ATV racks. It bolted on with supplied hardware and a pair of U-bolts we picked up at the local hardware store.

Sure it’s cheaper to strap an old milk crate to your ATV to move things around, but milk crates don’t have as much floor space as the Rage basket. Also, plastic and wooden crates are flimsy and deteriorate in the weather over time. If you want to haul extra items the right way like we do, give Discount Ramps a call at (888) 651-3431, or check out their entire line of cargo options and loading ramps at www.discountramps.com. q